Dispensing device for paste materials



Dec. 6, 1955 J. A. ANDERSON, JR

DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PASTE MATERIALS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1953Ll I I [H l m mmuHlHl l llll LIIU n 2% wmw 77Z77Zamazqflmm Um ATTORNEY!Dec. 6, 1955 J ANDERSON, JR 2,726,016

DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PASTE MATERIALS Filed Aug. 7, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet2 c/ohn A. Anderson d/t I 55 /0 1 .297 5' 6 95 INVENTOR.

7yzamaqfim v Um P Patented Dec. 6, 1955 DISPENSING DEVICE FOR PASTEMATERIALS John Arthur Anderson, Jr., Croton-on-Hudson, N. Y.

Application August 7, 1953, Serial No. 372,969

4 Claims. (Cl. 222127) The present invention relates to dispensingdevices, and more particularly has reference to a device adapted tocontrol the discharge of paste materials such as toothpaste, etc.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generallyimproved dispensing device of the character referred to, which will beso designed as to particularly adapt the same for controlling thedischarge of paste material from a container wherein said material isheld uner pressure. Containers of this type have found increasing favorin recent years, and are widely used for holding whip cream, shavingcream, and the like. Customarily, a container of this nature is equippedwith a valveof a type including a laterally swingable spout, lateralswinging of the spout to a position to which it is disposed obliquely tothe axis of the container being adapted to actuate the valve to an openposition. Such a container is believed well suited to hold a materialsuch as a dentifrice, and it is accordingly an important object of thepresent invention to associate, with such a dentifrice container, meansshiftable by an inserted object, as for example a toothbrush, which.means will actuate the valve to open position responsive to movement ofthe inserted object therebelow.

A further object of importance is to provide, in a device of the typestated, a pairof adjacent slides one of which constitutes a main slideand is shiftable a substantial distance by the inserted object, and theother of which constitutes an auxiliary slide and has a ratchet and pawlconnection to the main slide that will cause movement of the auxiliaryslide for only a part of the distance traveled by the main slide, theauxiliary slide controlling opening of the valve and the main slidebeing adapted to fallow movement of the inserted object below the valvefor a distance suificient to spread the material in ribbon-like form onsaid inserted object.

Another object is to provide, in a device of the type referred to above,means on the main slide for centering the inserted object in properposition below the dispensing opening of the container, said centeringmeans being automatically adjustable as to width to accommodate insertedobjects of different sizes.

Yet another object is to provide, in a dispensing device for pastematerials, a valve assembly wherein the discharge opening of thecontainer will be disposed at an unvarying location relative to thecontainer body, despite the fact that the valve is opened by lateralswinging of a dispensing spout. Heretofore, a disadvantage noted inconnection with containers and valves of the nature discussedabove'resides in the bodily shifting of the dispensing end of the spout,during the opening of the valve. In such cases,,it is sometimesditiicult to locate the discharge end of the spout at an exact positionfor accurate dispensing of material therethrough. Further, anarrangement wherein the discharge end of the dispensing spout is bodilyshiftable laterally of the container body is not suitable for mountingswherein the container is 2 fixedly supported in association with avalve-openingdispensing device of the type hereinbefore referred to.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, wherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through a dispensing deviceformed in accordance with the present invention, a container with whichsaid device is associated being illustrated in an inverted position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the dispensingdevice on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the auxiliary slide, per se;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the main slide per se;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged sectional view taken longitudinally anddiametrically of the valve assembly of the container; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Figure 5.

The reference letter W has been applied to the surface of a room wall,on which the dispensing device constituting the present invention isadapted to be permanently or temporarily mounted, whichever is desired.The dispensing device includes a support means, 'said support meansbeing formed from plastic, metal, wood,

or any other suitable material. The support means includes a flat backplate 10 adapted to be positioned against the wall surface, said backplate having a keyhole slot 12 through which projects a screw 14 orequivalent supporting element, said screw extending into thewalltsurface.

Integral with the lower end portion of the back plate 10 is a solidlyformed base 16, said base also constituting part of the support meansand being formed with an upwardly opening recess 18in which is removablyengaged the discharge end of a container 20. In the illustrated example,the container 20 is formed conically at its discharge end, but it willbe understood that the container can be varied as to the configurationthereof. Of course, the recess 18 would be shaped so as to comple mentthe shape of the discharge end of the container, the container beinginverted preliminary to seating thereof in the recess.

Also constituting part of the support means is a front wall 22, thefront and back walls cooperating to define a space within which acontainer 20 will be disposed. Of course, the support means could be sodesigned as to completely enclose the container body, thereby to concealthe container from view. In any event, a hinge 24 is provided upon theupper end of the back plate 10, and attached to said hinge is avertically swingable lid 26 providing access to the interior of thesupport means, for insertion or removal of a container 20.

In the lower end portion of the base 16, I form a cavity 28 (Figures 1and 2) said cavity being of rectangular cross section as best shown inFigure 2, and being relatively elongated, the cavity being formed openat that end of the base 16 remote from the wall surface W.

The neck 30 of the container 20 extends downwardly into said cavity asbest shown in Figure 1, the base 16 having an opening 32 communicatingbetween the cavity 28 and the recess 18, with said opening being adaptedfor extension of the neck therethrough.

Mounted in the cavity 28 is a main slide 34. The main slide 34 isrectangular in cross section as best shown in Figure 2, and is of hollowformation, said main slide being closed at one end as at 36 and beingformed with its other end open. The end wall 36 provides an abutment forone end of a coil spring 38 held under compression between the slide 34and the back plate 10. Spring 38 tends to shift the main slide 34 to theleft in Figure 1, it being understood that normally, the main slidewould be disposed to the left of the position in which it is illustratedin Figure 1.

For the purpose of guiding the main slide during its sliding movement incavity'28, said main slide has outwardly directed, upper longitudinalflanges 40, and outwardly directed, lower longitudinal flanges 42, theflanges 40, 42 being retained in slidable contact with guide ribs 44, 46respectively extending inwardly from the opposite side walls of thecavity 28 (Figure 2).

Also formed integrally upon the main slide 34, and projecting inwardlytoward one another within the interior of the main slide, are coplanarlips 43, said lips 48 extending the length of the main slide as bestshown in Figure l. The lips 48 serve as hold-down means for centeringbars 50 urged toward one another within the main slide by springs 52.The centering bars are formed with transversely depressed inner surfaces54, engaging the opposite side edges of the head of an inserted articlesuch as a toothbrush 56.

Formed in the top wall of the main slide 34 is an elongated, closedlongitudinal slot 58 (Figure 4) and ranged along opposite sides of saidslot are elongated racks 60.

The racks 60 are adapted to engage the free ends of elongated,longitudinally curved leaf springs 62, said springs 62 being integral attheir inner ends with a bight portion 64 riveted or otherwise fixedlysecured to one end of an auxiliary slide 66. The auxiliary slide 66 isformed as a flat plate disposed above the main slide, said flat platehaving, intermediate its ends, a center opening 68 receiving the neck 30of the container 20. A slot-like extension 70 is formed in the plate, incommunication with the opening 68, for a purpose to be made presentlyapparent.

To guide the auxiliary slide during its slidable movement above the mainslide, I provide (Figures 1 and 2) guide grooves 72 facing inwardly ofthe cavity 28, said guide grooves receiving the opposite side edges ofthe auxiliary slide.

It should be noted at this point that at their free ends, the leafsprings 62 are thickened to form enlargements on said leaf springs,which enlargements will complement the notches defined between the teethof the respective racks 69.

Secured at one end to the outer end of the auxiliary slide 66 is a lightpull-back coil spring 74, said pull-back spring being attached at itsother end to the base 16 of the support means.

The leaf springs 62 are so tensioned as to cause the free ends of saidsprings to be normally engaged against the main slide. in thisconnection, the coil springs and the leaf springs would have to becalibrated together to obtain a smooth operating action, it beingunderstood that the particular amount of pressure or pull each shouldhave would be subject to determination in accordance with regularengineering practices.

in any event, if a toothbrush 56 is inserted in the main slide 34 and isutilized to shift the main slide to the right in Figure l, the pressurewith which the free ends of the leaf springs 62 are held against themain slide will be sufiicient to cause joint movement of the auxiliaryslide and main slide. in other words, at the initial stage of itsmovement to the right in Figure l, the main slide 34 will carry with itthe auxiliary slide 66. The opening 63 and slot-like extension 70, inthis regard, are of such a size as to permit the auxiliary slide 66 tomove relative to the stationary neck 30 projecting through said opening63. The opening 63, accordingly, would ordinarily be elongated somewhat,as shown in Figure 3, the slot-like extension 70 being so proportionedas to normally engage a valve assembly 76, so as to prevent rotation ofthe container.

in any event, after the initial joint movement of the main and auxiliaryslides, the inner end wall of the slotlike extension 70 will engage theouter end surface of the valve assembly 76, and will shift the engagedpart of the valve assembly inwardly toward the neck 30. This causes thevalve of the container to be opened, for dispensing of the materialtherefrom onto the toothbrush 56.

Reference should now be had to Figures 5 and 6, wherein the details ofthe valve assembly are shown. As will be noted, the valve assembly 76includes a circular rubber seat 80 engaged in the discharge end of thecontainer body, at the inner end of the neck 30. Th seat 80 has aconically shaped surface 82 against which is lodged the complementarilyshaped peripheral portion of a valve disc 84. The valve disc 84 isnormally held in the full line position thereof shown in Figure 5, butcan be rocked to the dotted line position shown in said figure to permitthe material to escape past the valve disc, in the direction of thearrows shown in Figure 5.

Integral or otherwise made rigid with the center portion of the valvedisc, and projecting axially within the neck 30, is an outlet tube 86,said tube 86 being of cylindrical formation and being relatively shortin length as best shown in Figure 6. At its outer end, the tube 86merges into a relatively flat, flared spout 88, the spout 88constituting a discharge spout and being so shaped as to cause thematerial forced therethrough to be given a ribbon-like form when it isdeposited upon the bristles of the toothbrush.

Adjacent its integral connection to the valve disc 84, the tube 86 isformed with a circumferential series of inlet ports 90, and it will beseen that when the valve disc is rocked to its dotted line position inFigure 5, the mate rial, forced out of the container under pressure,will move inwardly through the several ports 90, into the dischargespout 88. To insure the movement of said material into said dischargespout, I provide a flexible covering 92 integrally formed upon therubber seat 80, said covering 92 being circumposed about the tube toprevent loss of the material being dispensed.

It is to be noted from Figure 5 that to actuate the valve to openposition, it is necessary that the discharge spout be rocked from itsfull line position to its dotted line position in this figure of thedrawing. This causes the outlet end of the discharge spout to be shiftedbodily from its normal position, and it will be appreciated that this isundesirable, in an arrangement in which the discharge opening of thecontainer should be disposed at an unvarying location relative to theinserted toothbrush. To hold the discharge opening of the container atsaid unvarying location, a flexible conduit 94 is secured at one end tothe outlet end of the spout 88, said conduit 94 being formed, at itsother end, with a thickened bead having a circumferential groove inwhich is engaged the edge portion of an aperture 96 formed in an endwall 98 provided upon the neck 30.

It is desirable that means be connected to the laterally swingable spout88, whereby movement of the auxiliary slide 66 will cause the spout tobe shifted from its full to its dotted line position in Figure 5. Tothis end, a U- shaped bracket 100 is anchored to the spout 88, anddisposed between the arms of said bracket is one end of an arm 102pivotally connected to said bracket arms by a hinge pin 104. At itsother end, the arm 102 is integral with a depending push-button 106,loosely slidable in an opening 108 formed in the side wall of the neck30. The push-button 106 projects exteriorly of the neck, and isengageable by the inner end wall of the slot-like extension 70 of theopening 68, when the auxiliary slide 66 is shifted to the right inFigure 1.

It is to be noted that the spring 74 is quite light and will not holdthe auxiliary slide against movement to the right in Figure 1 with themain slide 34, during the initial movement of said main slide. Ofcourse, when the push-button has been shifted by the auxiliary slide toits dotted line position shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary slide will beheld against further movement. However, the main slide will continue itsmovement to the right in Figure l, the leaf springs 62 now ratchetingover the teeth of the racks 60. The continued movement of the main slide34, after movement of the auxiliary slide has been halted, will beeffective to allow shifting of the tooth-brush bristles an ampledistance below the now opened valve, whereby to cause the material to bedischarged in a ribbon-like form upon the toothbrush.

The base 16, if desired, can be provided with one or more pairs ofspaced support arms 110, between which toothbrushes can be supportedwhen not in use.

It is believed possible to so construct the device as to cause theoperation of the slides to be reversed, in such a manner as to dispensethe material upon the brush when the brush is being pulled out of thedevice, as distinguished from the illustrated arrangement wherein thebrush is loaded when being inserted. This might be more feasiblecommercially, since it would eliminate the possibility of the pastebeing forced into the brush, or being rolled off the brush and left inthe cavity. The basic principle of operation would, of course, remainsubstantially unchanged.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confinedto the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, since such construction is only intended to be illustrativeof the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carryout said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehendsany minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scopeof the appended claims- What is claimed is:

l. The combination, with a container including a valve swingabletransversely of the container to permit the discharge of materialstherefrom, of support means for the container; a main slide on thesupport means movable in a first and in a second, return directionadjacent said valve and shiftable in said first direction by an objectinserted in the support means, on to which object the material is to bedispensed; and an auxiliary slide on the support means having aconnection to the first slide adapted to effect joint movement of bothslides during the initial part of the sliding movement of the main slidein said first direction, said valve being located in the path ofmovement of the auxiliary slide for shifting of the valve to an openposition by the auxiliary slide, said connection including meansreleasably connecting said main and auxiliary slides for initial jointmovement, and further means resiliently connecting said auxiliary slidewith said support restraining said auxiliary slide from further movementsubsequent to said initial joint movement of the slides.

2. The combination, with a container including a valve swingabletransversely of the container to permit the discharge of materialstherefrom, of support means for the container arranged for holding thecontainer in an inverted position; a main slide on the support meansdisposed adjacent said valve, said main slide being adapted to beshifted in one direction by an object on to which the material is to bedispensed; yielding means interposed between the main slide and supportmeans, tensioned to effect return movement of the main slide; and anauxiliary slide on the support means having a connection to the mainslide adapted to eflEect joint movement of both slides during theinitial part of the sliding movement of the main slide in said onedirection, said valve being located in the path of movement of theauxiliary slide for shifting of the valve to an open position by theauxiliary slide, said connection including means releasably connectingsaid main and auxiliary slides for initial joint movement, and furthermeans resiliently connecting said auxiliary slide with said supportrestraining said auxiliary slide from further movement subsequent tosaid initial joint movement of the slides.

3. The combination, with a container including a valve swingabletransversely of the container to permit the discharge of materialstherefrom, of support means for the container arranged for holding thecontainer in an inverted position; a main slide mounted on the supportmeans subjacent said valve, said main slide being adapted to be shiftedin one direction by an object on to which the material is to bedispensed; yielding means interposed between the main slide and supportmeans, tensioned to effect return movement of the main slide; a rackrigid with the main slide; an auxiliary slide mounted on said supportmeans adjacent the main slide and including a pawl engageable with therack and adapted to effect joint movement of both slides during theinitial part of the sliding movement of the main slide in said onedirection, said valve being located in the path of movement of theauxiliary slide for shifting of the valve to an open position by theauxiliary slide, the valve halting movement of the auxiliary slide withthe pawl ratcheting over said rack, during continued movement of themain slide and its associated object in said one direction below thevalve.

4. The combination, with a container for paste materials including avalve swingable transveresly of the container to permit the discharge ofsaid material therefrom, of support means for the container arranged forholding the container in an inverted position; a main slide mounted onthe support means subjacent said valve, said main slide being adapted tobe shifted in one direction by an object on to which the material is tobe dispensed; yielding means interposed between the main slide andsupport means, tensioned to effect return movement of the main slide; arack rigid with the main slide to shift therewith in said one direction;an auxiliary slide mounted on said support means above the main slide,said auxiliary slide being shiftable along lines paralleling the line ofmovement of the main slide, the auxiliary slide including a pawlengageable with the rack and adapted to effect joint movement of bothslides during the initial part of the sliding movement of the main slidein said one direction, said valve being located in the path of movementof the auxiliary slide for shifting of the valve to an open position bythe auxiliary slide, the valve halting movement of the auxiliary slidewith the pawl ratcheting over said rack, during continued movement ofthe main slide and its associated object below the valve in said onedirection, said main slide being shiftable a distance suflicient forspreading the paste material in ribbon form on said object.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS600,552 Parker Mar. 15, 1898 2,533,839 Robinson Dec. 12, 1950 2,570,755Booth Oct. 9, 1951 2,582,262 Loven et al Jan. 15, 1952 2,634,026 YuanApr. 7, 1953

